Feeding and mixing machine connected in gangs



Aprll 26, 1927. S SNYDER FEEDING NND NlxNe MACHINE' CONNECTED IN GANGs 3 Sheets-Sheet l futon/wg( April 26, 1927. 1,625,917

S. SNYDER FEEDING AND MIXING MACHINE CONNECTED IN GANGS Filed April 7. 1926 5 Sheets-Sheet? FEEDING A ND MIXING MACHINE CONNECTED IN GANGS Filed April '7, 1926 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Patented Apr. 26, 1927.

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SIMON sNYDEn or MUNCY, rnNNsYLVANIAAssIGNCn To srnorrr, WALDRCN se Co., oF MUNCY, PENNSYLVANIA, A ConPonATioN or PENNSYLVANIA.

FEEDING AND MIXING MACHINE CONNECTED 1N GANGs.

Application filed April 7,

This invention relates to 'feeding and mixingniachines ofthe hind used 'in flour mills for feeding and mixing granular material or diiierent kinds ot grain, either Whole or granulated, and variouskinds oi stock feed, such as oats, iniddlings, or ground alfalfa, and more particularly to niacliines of the character shown and described in iuy llaatent No. 1,530,143, grant-ed March l?, 1925,

`adapted to be connected in gangs i'oi iced-- I ing and mining different kinds oit grain 'or granulated material inineasured or predetermined quantities; group or' such inachines being connected With'a Iriixiiig device common to the entire groiri. whereby diierent kinds of materials delivered by different machines in the group may he mixed, in either the same or dii'i'erent proportions, as desired, all in a continuous operation.

@ne object of my present` invention 'is to simplify and in'iprove the construction and increase the eiiiciency oi' machinesot the character' shown in my aforesaid patent.

Anotherobject isto provide a ieeding maH chine ot the character referred to consisting of "ievv parts assembled in compact `iorni and less expensive to .malte and less liable to get out oit order than'the more complexv niachines of the character referred to as heretofore constructed.

Another object is to provide simpleand etiicient means connected With the discharge port oi each machine in a group for conducting` the material therefrom into a ceptacle or conveyor trough common to the entire group and which may: be shifted to el'lect a discharge into a. receptacle atl one side of the individual machine ior'thc pnr pose oztfascertaining Whether such machine is ieedingin the desired proportion.

Other' objects Will more fully appear 'troni the following description.,i

The invention will first be hereinafter incre particularly.described, Wit-h reference to the accompanying drawings, which are to begtalren as a part o'fthis specification. and then pointed out in theV claims at the end of the description.

ln said hzwings,` Figi-l is a transverse sectional View ot inachineembodying, my

1926; sei-iai No. 100,427.4

invention, the section being takenonl the line' l-l of Fig. 2;l l

Fig. 2 is a iront elevation oi the machine partlybrolnn away to show the interior construction Fig. 8 is a pla-n view omitting' the hinged coverfor the opening in the front portion oi the casing so as to expose they conveyor arms oi'fthe iced Wheel therein;

lf" l is a vertical sectionalvicw talrcn onl the line #Ll of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a front elevation ot a group of feeding machines operahly connected With ainixing device including a spiral conveyor 'for mining and discharging the niateri al ied bythe group ot'niachines into afsuitable recciver; and

Fig; 6 is a detached view in side elevation of a'defl'ect-ing' chute whereby inaterialissui.iigffioni the discharge port may e caused to'pass either inwardly into a .mi2-:ing device or outiardlyfinto a separatereceptacle.

Referring to said .lra\\'ingf, in which the same reference characters are used to denote c rresponding parts inditici'ent views, the 'leed-ing machine shown in Figs. i to oi the drawings is designed and adapted to be used either singly or collectively one of agroup of machines for delivering grain or granularmaterial and various other food products in predetermined propoitions ttor admixture in a suitable mixing device, While inI 5 is shown a group ot' such feeding machines operably connected 'for discharg# ing their contents simultaneously into a suitable conveyor trough common to the entire group oi machines and containing a rotary conveyoror other suitable device ttor coni ininglingand conveying the niiitu-:e to a pointat which the desired coininingling has been effected-and then discharging the inibitureinto a suitable receptacle therefor.

Thesupporting 'frame l has a top plate la ofoircular'forni having an annular shoulder 11b on which isseated the lower Cylindrical portion '2f oi'a combined feed hopper and gear casing' Within .which the driving mechanismlisfhoused; saidl gearcasing also serving. as a chamber beside the `feed hopper for"deliveringmaterial -to means for discharging the -niateral' into a suitable receplll tacle or into a conveyor trough, as desired. Said easing consists of a front portion 3, a rear portion t and an intermediate partition 5; said front part serving as a delivery chamber and housing for the driving mechanism and having a substantially semi-circu lar base portion 3 and a rearwardly inclined upper' portion 3b in which there is an opening provided with'a hinged cover 3 to permit access to the mechanism housed therein. The rear portion l is of approximately U- shaped form with square corners and diminishes in size towardfits lowerend which terminates in substantially semi-circular form concentric with a centrally disposed Semi-circular part of said partition, the latter having a centrally disposed substantially semi-circular portion 5 spaced from the rear inner wall of said rear part so that these two parts form a feed hopper having a lower end portion of arc-shaped or substantially semicircular form overlying the feed wheel conveyor arms which, for the time being, are exposed within the hopper at the feed or delivery end thereof. Said front and rear portions 3 and 4 of the casing are formed or provided on the adjacent edges thereof with vertically disposed flanges 34: and 4C, respectively, which are suitably apertured `to receive fastening bolts 5c having nuts screwed thereon for securing the two parts together, and also securing thereto opposite ends of the partition 5 which are fitted between said flanges. The upper part of the partition is inclined toward the front portion of the casing to widen the mouth of the hopper and has its upper edge flush with and arranged to abut against the meeting edge of the front part 3, as shown, so as to form there with a closed top above the uppper end of a vertical shaft (i on which is secured a feed wheel 7; said shaft having fixed thereon a beveled gear wheel 8, the teeth of which engage a beveled pinion 9 lined on a horizontal shaft 10 through which rotary motion is imparted to the feed wheel. Suitable bearings for said vertical shaft (i are provided by means of transv-,rse bars 11 bolted or otherwise secured to the partition at the terminal points of the semi-circular portion thereof; said bars having intermediate their ends concave portions confronting similar concave parts of co-operating bearing members 11 which are detachably secured to said bars to permit the shaft to be removed for a purpose hereinafter stated. Bearing sleeves or bushings 12 are fitted on the shaft 6 between the concave portions of the bearing members 11 and 11, as shown more clearly in Fig. 4, to take up wear, and the bearing caps 11a are provided with alemite or grease cups 13 for oiling the bearings. The shaft 6 is supported on a collar 6 secured thereon by a set screw and any end-thrust of the shaft upwardly incident to .the engagement of the pinion 9 with the gear wheel 8 is taken up by an anti-friction bearing lll of a Well known type, consisting of grooved rings placed on the shaft between the gear wheel 8 and the upper bearing members 11 and 1.1*l and a series of balls between the rings.

iis will be observed, the feed wheel overlics the top plate 1a of the supporting frame, which plate forms the hopper bottom, and between said feed wheel and bottom is placed an oscillatory segmental or circular plate laadapted to rest upon the hopper bottom and having formed therein adjacent `the inner'wall of the casing member 3, in

front of the feed wheel shaft, an oblong arcuate slot or opening adapted to register with a similar opening in the hopper bottom through which the grain or granular material is 'discharged into a spout 1li which empties into a mixing device: a swinging chute being preferably interposed between the discharge port and said device, as shown in Fig. Il, for conducting the material inwardly into said spout or outwardly into a suitable receptacle, when it is desired to measure or weigh the grain to ascertain whether or not a particular machine or dil ferent machines in a group is or are 'discharging in the desired proportions. The oscillating plate of the feed regulating deyice has a ccnt'ally disposed aperture therein registering with an aperture in the top plate of the supportingl frame forming the hopper bottom through which protrudes a boss the head of which is riveted or bolted to said plate and on which is secured underneath said bottom the hub portion of a segment gear 17 which engages a worm 18 on a rod 19 so that by rotating said rod l!) in a forward or backward direction oscillatory movement may be imparted to said segment or circular plate of the feed regulating device to increase or decrease the size oil the feed opening in the bottom of the casing and thereby increase or decrease the amount of grain or granular material that may bo discharged by the feed wheel in a given period of time. The rod 19 is revolubly mounted on a bracket 2l) which is bolted or otherwise secured underneath the bottom ol the casing' or to the machine frame al one side thereof as shown in Figs. 1 and The rod 19 has its inner end litted in a suitable bearing therefor on the ul'lderside of thc casing or hopper bottoni. as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 1, and it may be rotated by means of a hand wheel .21 `tired on its free end. It also carries or has formed thereon a worin gear .Z2 `which engages the teeth of a gear wheel carried by or integral with a stub shaft or arbor .23 revolublv mounted on the bracket Q() as shown; said stub shaft also carrying a pointer or indieating device 2l arranged to travel around a lill lill

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z ,o'raduated'disk or;y dial/25 so that as the rod 19 is rotated ,for thev purpose ofadjusting the feedy regulating device the pointer @il will `be movedso as to indicate :the variations in the size of the feed opening or the amount of material that may pass therethrough in a given period of time. The feed wheel is preferably formed orprovided with a`y centrally disposedihub portion fixed on the shaft 6 and integral outwardly projecting` conveyor armsor blades 27'which entendl from said hub portion `outwardly on a gradual curve or arc of a circle into close proximity to the cylindrical lower part of the casing so Ias to adapt saidconveyor arms or blades to gather the grain'or 'granular material and push it forward so that it may not bethrownI outwardly against`the inner Lcylindric wall of the casing.` But other forms may be employed, for instance, conveyor arms which entend radially. from the hub portion of the-wheel to Ian intermediate pointfrom which `point they `are lforwardly inclinedin' thefdi-rection of rotation at an obtuse angle to the base portion thereof, as shown in my aforesaid `Patent No.v 1,530,143, so as to adapt them to push the material toward the discharge port, as in the present case.- j

F or the purpose of stirringior agitating the grainor granular material Within the feed hopper solas to prevent'clogging, I provide an agitating device consisting preferably ofrotary blades 28 spaced apart on ashaft 29," one at each side of the'center of thefeedwheel, and projecting from the shaft in opposite directions; said shaft being journaled in suitable bearingsformed onor secured to the outerfsi'de walls of the hopper sectioir of thecasing and said arms having tubular hub-like `portions fitted on the shaft andsecured iny relativelyl fixed positions thereonby means of set lscrews'sothatfthey may be adjusted along the shaft and secured in anyfdesired position. Motion may. be imparted tothe agi-tators by sprocket-gear and driveechain connection between' the agitator shaft `and the horizontal driving shaft l0, as shown in Fig. 3; i

The machine may-beY driven from any f-uitable source ofrpower` by belt or-other connection with driving wheel 'orloose pulley 30 on the driving. shaft l0; said pull-e f having a clutch member 3l. at'one side adapted to' engage aclutch member .32 s idably but,noirrotatablysecured on aprojecting end of the shaftl() so that when the two clutch `members are engaged `the pulley and sha-ft will rotate together and impart Irotary movement to` the feed wheel, but whendisengaged willfallowthe pulley to rotate freely'on the shaft.4 The two clutch members areheld normally in' separatedv relationbyV means of a spring 38 (Fig. 2) which tends tof `force the clutch" member carriedbythe looseipulley out of engagement with the other clutch member, 'and -to enable the operator tonengage and disengage the clutch members at will; arlever 34 beside the pulley 30 `l'raving :a hub-like portion or collar loose on the shaft 10 carries a wedge-shalied lug or projection 36 integral with said collar adapted to engage with lani-like action V-s'haped recess in a fixture orboss projecting from the casing so thatwhen the lever is `moved the pulley will be moredV siclewisevcausing the clutch member 3l to engagethe clutch member 33 and *therebyncause the pulley to rotatewith the shaft.` Access tothe vfeed wheel and driving mechanism housed in the casing is afford-ed'throngh 'the opening in the front plate 3 of the" casi-ng, which is preferably oft semi-circular form and providedwith a hingedcover of similar form adapted to be raisedand' thrown back so as to rest on the'casing out of the way to afford access to parts within'the` casing for oiling or clean-ing the driving mechanism and to permittheffeed `wheel and associated parts to beV removed for renewal 'or repairs or the substitution of a 'feed whe-el having pockets of great'eror less capacity' than the feed wheel in use at the time so that the machine niaynfecd materiall'in 'greater or less quantity when desired.x

It will' be'observed that the rear and side walls of the feed Vhopper"section Ll Aconverge toward the-hopper bottoni where they merge inthe'semi-cylindrical portion which partly encircles the feed `wheel while thepartition 5 slants -inwardly'fr toy a Ypointy below thef mouth of'the hopper and from'the latter pointextends` in semif-circular form into close proximity@tov thefeed wheel 'at the base of the conveyor arms`coincidentwith and ydii-y rcctlyover `the `outer' edge ofthe imperforate centrally disposed portion of the feed wheel andforms an-i innerperpendicular wall of the hopper, so that "tlie'inaterial in the hopperwill fall* by, gravity intoy and completely lill the pockets yformed between. adjacent conveyor arms," and las'the feed wheel continues tof revolve said conveyor arms will pass und-erneatl'i the lower edge of the'partition-gto which 4is ysecuredv a vertically adjustablevalve-plateor cutoff 38 for leveling off` the'nniterial1 ineach 'pocketas the feed wheel revolvesgso as to `insure the discharge of a given lor measured amount of material through the 'feed' Opening within the discharge chamber by each 4vpocket at each rotation' of `the feed wheel.

The'individual feeders mayfbe' driven by means of beltland pulleyconnection with an overhead shaft., but vin a group of'machines the 1 reed-wheelV driving-shaft of each machinefisprinaybe drivenf'from a main driving shaft 39V by means'- of sprocket AWheels and.4 chains connectingA said# mainin l driving shaft with each machine in the group, as shown in Fig. of the drawings. To this end each machine has secured thereto at one side thereof suitable bearings for .sa-id main driving shaft, such bearings comprising a bracket bearing member 40 secured to the rear side Wall of the hopper section of the casing and having secured thereto a detachable member or cap-plate 4l, ,said bearingr member and cap-plate each having a concave or substantially semi-circular recess therein to provide suitable bearings for the main driving shaft.

In order to conduct the material to be mixed either inwardly from the discharge lport through the spout 16 or other conduit into the mixing device or outwardly into a separate receptacle at one side of the machine, when it is desired to measure or Weigh the material to ascertain Whether the machine is discharging in the desired proportion, I employ a deflecting chute which, as shown, consists of opposed metal plates 42 each having marginal flanges 43 turned toward the otherplate and ea'cli secured at its upper end to a rod 44 revolubly secured on the supporting frame; one of said rods having secured thereto a` Weighted lever 45 adapted to hold the rod stationary in either of tivo positions with the chute members inclined either inwardly or outwardly as desired. The free ends of pendant arms on said rods 44 are pivoted to a link 46 Whereby the tivo members of the chute may be thrown simultaneously into either an outwardly or inwardly inclined posit-ion When said lever 45 is thrown forward or back and retained thereby in the desired position for discharging the `material delivered by the feeclwlieel in an inward or outward di rection, for the purpose stated. The pendant arm on the innermost rod 44 to which the link 46 is pivoted has pivoted thereto a second link 47 the other end of `Which is pivoted to an upstanding arm 48 on a rod 49 which is revolubly supported in alined boxes or bearings therefor secured on the supporting frames of the individual machines in the group so that When the lever 45 is actuated to throuT the chute members into an outwardly inclined position, or vice versa', the chute members of each machine in the group will be simultaneously thrown outivardly or-inwardly, according to the direc` tion in which the leverr45 is moved` The material dischargedby the group of machines in the desired `proportions is spouted or conducted into a subjacent mixing device, which, in the form shown, comprises a trough-like receptacle 50 Within which is placed aI spiral conveyor 5l on the shaft of which is a pulley 52 for imparting rotary movement thereto by connection in any Well` knownA manner with any suitable source of power. Said conveyor may be of the form shown, or of any suitable construction, and may be operated by belt and pulley connection or otherwise with a driving shaft. The materials entering said conveyor trough are thoroughly commingled therein and conveyed to a suitable receptacle therefor located at the delivery end of the conveyor or at any other convenient point underneath or below a suitable discharge spout (not shown).

The amount of material each machine may deliver to the mixing device in a given period of time may be varied Without changing the proportions in which the material is being delivered by the individual machines, by means of a cone pulley 53 on the main driving shaft having a belt or similar driving connection with a countershaft so that the driving connection may be shifted from a larger to a smaller pulley or vice versa,

thereby causing the group of machines to feed, more or less rapidly as desired.

The operation of the machine will be readily understood from the foregoing description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings. Any desired number of feeders may be connected and operated simultaneously by the same driving shaft; four of such machines being shown in Fig. 5. At the start the feed regulating devices of the individual machines are set to deliver a certain quantity of material in the desired proportions and the amount delivered by each machine Will be indicated by the pointer and dial plate thereon, which amount may be more or less than or equal to the amount delivered by any other machine m the group, and the proportions maybe varied as desired from time to time by adjusting the feed regulating device With which each machine `is provided. The several machines being set in motion, the material discharged into the conveyor-trough in the desired proportions Will be thoroughly commingled therein and discharged into a suitable receiver at the end of the conveyor.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as nen7 and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

l. A `machine of the character described comprising a casing having an intermediate partition and a feed hopper at one side of said partition and a delivery chamber at the other side thereof and having a discharge opening in its bottom Within said delivery chamber, a vertical shaft having its bearings Within said delivery chamber in vertical alinement centrally of said bottom, a feed `wheel on said shaft having a centrally dis posed hub-like portion with spaced conveyor arms projecting outwardly therefrom into close proximity to cylindrical Walls of the casing, and a feed regulating device consisting `of an oscillatory plate underlying said feed Wheel between it and said bottom,

1,625,917 bottom -having a discharge opening therein within said delivery chamber, a vertical shaft having its bearings within said delivery chamber, a feed wheel on .said shaft. having a centrally disposed hub-like portion with spaced conveyor arms extending outwardly therefrom into close proximity to said cylindrical portion of the casing; said arms being adapted to gather and push the material in the direction of movement, and means for varying the size of said discharge opening.

6. In a percentage feeding machine having meansV for collecting and discharging grain or granulated material in predetermined proportions for admiiiture with other grain coming from another machine or inachines in a group, means for conducting the discharged material inwardly into a relatively fixed spout or conduit or outwardly into a receptacle at one side ofthe machine, when desired to measure or weigh the material to ascertain whether the machine is discharging in the desired proportion; the latter means comprising a chute consisting of depending inwardly inclined members spaced apart and hinged at their upper ends on opposite sides of the discharge port, and means for normally holding said members in an inwardly inclined position and for throwing them into an outwardly inclined position and sustaining them in the latter position or restoring them to normal position, as desired.

7. In a percentage feeding machine having means for collecting and discharging grain or granulated material in predetermined proportions for admixture with other grain coming from another machine oil niachines in a group, means for conducting the discharged material inwardly into a relatively lined spout or conduit or outwardly into a receptacle at one side of the machine, when desired to measure or weigh the inaterial 'to ascertain whether the machine is discharging in the desired proportion; the latter means comprising a chute consisting of depending inwardly inclined metal plates each having marginal flanges turned toward the other plate; said plates being spaced apart and hinged at their upper ends on opposite sides of the discharge port, and means for normally holding said plates in an inwardly inclined position and for throwing them into an outwardly inclined position and sustaining them in the latter position or restoring them to normal. position, as desired.

` 8. A machine of the character described,

`con'iprising a casing having frontand rear portions and an intermediate partition conas to form a feed hopper at one side of said striicted and secured together so as to propartition and a delivery chamber at thel `vide a feed hopper at one side of said partiother side thereof and a cylindrical lowertion and aldelivery chamber atthe other portion encircling a circular bottom; said--side thereof, said front part having a suband means for adusting said plate so as to vary the size of said discharge opening.

f2. In a machine of the character described, a casing having an intermediate partition arranged to provide a feed hopper at one side and a delivery chamber at the other side of said partition, a feed wheel revolubly mounted under the bot-tom of the casing and having a series of conveyor arms projecting laterally therefrom into close proximity to curved walls of the casing on opposite sides of said partition, a bottom plate underlyinT said feed wheel and having a discharge opening therein within said delivery chamber, and adjustable means for enlarging or decreasing the size of said openin'.

ln ar machine of the character described,` a casing having an intermediate partition arranged to provide a feed hopper at one side and a delivery chamber at the other side of said partition, a feed wheel revolubly mounted under the bottom of the casing and having a series of conveyor arms projecting laterally therefrom into close proximity to curved walls of the casing on opposite sides of said partition, a bottom plate underlying said feed wheel and having a .discharge opening tliorein within said delivery chamber, and adjustable means for enlarging or decreasing the size of said opening, together with means operable by said adjusting means for indicating the amount of material discharged when said opening is enlarged or decreased in size.

el. In a machine of the character described, a casing having front and rear portions and an intermediate partition constructed and secured together so as to form a feed hopper at one side of said partition and a delivery chamber a't theother side thereof and a substantially cylindrical lower portion surrounding a circular bottom; said bottoni having discharge opening therein 'iithin said delivery chamber, a vertical shaft having its bearings within said delivery chainber in vert-ical alinement centrally ol' said bottom, a feed wheel on said shaft having a centrally disposed hub-like portion Lwith spaced conveyor arms prolecting thereirom outwardly into close proximity to saidycylindrical portion of said casing, and a feed regulating device consisting ot an oscillatory plate underlying said feed wheel between it and said bottoiii,aiid means for adjusting said plate so as to vary the size of said discharge opening. i

5. A macliinc of the character described,x comprising a divided casing having front and rea-r portions and an intermediate partition constructed and secured together so stantially semi-circular base portionand a rearwardly inclinedupper part havingan opening therein and a cover therefor; said partition having a centrally disposed lsubstantially semi-circular portion spaced from the rear inner wall of said rear part; the latter being of approximatelv U-shaped form and diminishing` in size toward its lower end which terminates in substantially semi-circular form concentric With said centrally disposed part of sai-d partition, a feed Wheel within said casing having a centrally disposed hub-like portion `and spaced outwardly extending conveyor arms exposed on both sides of sai-d partition, and a feed regulating device consisting of a circular plate underlying said feed wheel and. having an opening therein underlying said conveyor blades Within said discharge chamber and overlying a discharge port in the hopper bottom, and means for adjusting said plate to vary the size of said discharge openino'. v

9. In combination, a group of machines for feeding grain or granular materials simultaneously in predetermined proportions, each machine having a feed Wheel revolubly mounted in the lower part of a casing having an intermediate partition to form a feed hopper at one side and a discharge chamber and housing for the feed wheel shaft and driving gearing therefor at the other side of said partition; said feed wheel being secured on a vertical shaft geared to a horizontal shaft having its `bearings in said casing, means for connecting said shaft with a main driving shaft for imparting simultaneous rotary motion to the feed wheels of the group, a mixing device into which the materials fed by said group are conducted, means on each machine for increasing or decreasing the amount or proportion it may feed independently of other machines in the group, and means operable conjointly with the last named means on each machine for indicating the amount each machine may feed in a given period of time.

10. In combination, a plurality of machines for feeding grain or other material simultaneously in predetermined proportions, each machine having a feed Wheel secured on a vertical shaft housed in a casing having an intermediate partition arranged to provide a feed hopper at one side and a delivery chamber at the other side of said partition; each of said machines being provided with independently operable means for increasing or decreasing the amount or proportion of material it may feed in a. given period of time and having its feed Wheel operatively connected with a main driving haft for imparting rotary movement thereto, and means on each machine connected with and operated by the independently operable means thereon for indicating the amount or proportion of material it may feed.

ll. A machine for feeding grain or granular material in predetermined quantities, comprising a casing of cylindrical form at the lower end thereof and having a partition therein to form a feed hopper at one..

said hopper, said feed wheel having radially projecting conveyor arms exposed in a semicylindric space around the hopper bottom and said discharge port arranged at the opposite peripheral portion of the feed Wheel underlying the path of movement of said conveyor arms, means for increasingand decreasing the size of said port so as to increase or decrease the amount of material allowed to pass therethrough as desired, and a vertically adjustable gate or cut-olf arranged over the conveyor arms at the point Where the latter enter the discharge chamber.

l2. A machine for feeding grain or granular material in predetermined quantities, comprising a casing constructed to form a feed hopper at one side and at the other side a housing for a feed Wheel and its driving mechanism together with a feed Wheel revolubly mounted and housed in said casing and separated from said hopper; said feed wheel having conveyor arms extending from a centrally disposed hub-like portion thereof to a cylindric Wall of the casing and curved in the direction of rotation so as to push material toward the discharge port and deliver the same successively in equal proportions; said casing having a discharge port of arcuate form in its bottom at the side thereof opposite said hopper, an oscillatory plate resting on said bottom having an arcuate opening therein adapted to register vvith the discharge port in said bottom, means for adjusting said plate so as to increase or decrease the size of said discharge port, and meansoperable by said adjusting means for indicating variations in the amount of material discharged at each revolution of the feed Wheel.

13. In combination, a casing constructed in separable parts together forming a feed hopper at one side of a centrally disposed partition and a discharge chamber and housing for a feed Wheel at the other side of said partition, a feed Wheel with its driving shaft and gearing housed in said discharge chamber and having curved conveyor arms projecting from a centrally disposed hub-like portion into close proximity to the inner Wall of the casing, and an adjustable gate or cut-off on said partition at the point Where said Conveyor arms pass into said discharge chamber.

14. In combination, a feed hopper', a 'feed wheel arranged to discharge material in predetermined proportions through a port in the liopper bottom7 a feed regulating device including an oscillatory plate for varying the size of said port7 means for indicating variations in the amount of material diseliarged including a rotary pointer, and means for imparting an oscillatory movement to said plate and simultaneously rotating said pointer; the latter means comprising a rod rotatably mounted on the macline 'trame and having a Worm gear thereon engaging ay segment gearon said oscillatory plate` and also a Worm gear engaging a gear Wheel on the shaft of said rotary pointer.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

SIMON SNYDER. 

